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Thursday, June 12, 2014

Report: Wisconsin Achieves 10% Renewable Energy Goal

Renewable Portfolio Standard key driver for clean power success

The Public Service Commission (PSC) today approved a report documenting that Wisconsin’s electric providers are already in compliance with their 2015 renewable energy requirements specified in state law.

In 2006, Wisconsin passed a Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) requiring utilities to increase their renewable energy supplies by six percentage points from 2006 to 2015, so that the state would reach an overall target of 10%. The report approved today documents that the state’s electric providers have collectively reached the 10% goal two years early. In addition, the report stated that all 118 electric providers are in compliance with their individual metrics for calendar year 2013.

“What a tremendous success for Wisconsin to meet this 10% renewable standard two years early and with virtually no perceptible impact on customer bills,” said Tyler Huebner, RENEW Wisconsin’s Executive Director. “Over the last eight years our renewable energy standard has created new jobs and business opportunities while cleaning up and diversifying our power supply mix.

In 2013, the PSC issued a report with data through 2012 showing the renewable energy standard had less than a one percent impact on electric rates.

Huebner said: “Now that we’ve met the 10% goal, the logical question before us is ‘What’s next?’ The conversation should shift to the Legislature to address that question in 2015. Our neighboring states are moving ahead of us. For example, Iowa now generates 27% of its electricity from wind energy, while the total in Minnesota is now 14%. The renewable energy produced there is helping to keep customer bills low. In addition, Michigan is considering a jump to 30% renewables by 2030. Let’s keep Wisconsin moving forward and get to work on extending and expanding Wisconsin’s Renewable Energy Standard.”